Keep the P.1154 Flying

The Hawker Siddeley P.1154 might have been the world's first production supersonic V/STOL fighter before the F-35, but the project was cancelled in February 1965.

What were the main reasons behind the failure of the project, and how plausible might these be avoided? Would the Harrier jet be butterflied away?

The P.1154 might have been exported to air-forces around the world. Other than the United Kingdom, who else might have an interest in the aircraft?

In my opinion, the P.1154 might have had a real mark on the Falkland war, assuming it occurs as OTL.
 
The main reason that I can find for the P.1154's cancellation was cost (at least according to the British government at the time). I believe this was around the same time as when the TSR-2 was cancelled, so it seems that there was a general impetus towards reducing defense costs in that era.

Also, had the P.1154 been put into production, there's a very good possibility that it would have had major teething problems. This isn't necessarily due to any fault with the design, but given that it's one of the first attempts at a high performance VTOL aircraft, there isn't a whole lot a practical knowledge to go on. For example, see the problems that the somewhat similar VJ 101 had around the same time, as well as the issues the Soviets/Russians had with the Yak-41 20 years later. Not to mention the VTOL JSFs massive development issues.
 
Almost every military project since the 50's seems to have gone horribly over budget with no end in sight. By the early 60's TSR 2, Concorde, New aircraft carriers, the Blue Streak missile and P.1154 had all cost a fortune with no guarrantee that they would serve the country's needs once in service.

If the Labour government of the time tried to pursue all the military projects flying around in 1964/65 then cuts would have to be made elsewhere.

Also remember that by the end of the 60's the RAF were still introducing the Harrier, Jaguar, Nimrod, had bought the Phantom and had begun work on the Tornado.

Finally the F 35 maybe a good plane but it's costing a fortune too and it's taking too long. Perhaps the Americans today are suffering the same problems faced by the UK 40-50 years ago in getting their projects finished.
 
There were two major problems with the P1154.

By far the most major was the stupid attempt to make what was basically a VTOL, single-seat, transonic, medium attack plane into that and an all-weather, two-seat supersonic fleet interceptor. I think as a concept the RAF P1154 could have worked, once the RN got out the project picked up pace but by then a lot of damage had been done.

The other major problem was the desbris kicked up by the PCB BS100 engine, which would blast chucks of runway and everything else up into the air and into the engine intakes. I daresay that it would buckle an aircraft carrier`s deck if it ever went there. However of the two problems I think this one was the least serious, perhaps operational workarounds would be developed such as rolling vertical landings.

I think that it would have been a much better plane than the P1127 Harrier, mainly it`s considerably longer range, greater payload and performance. Ideally the RAF one would get developed and bought into service and then navalised much like the OTL Harrier/Sea Harrier was. Imagine the Falklands with 20 mach 1.5, medium range, multiple missile carrying fighters on the 2 carriers.
 
UK wouldn't have had Phantom had HS1154 been successful. As it is the PCB and the temperature it generated was just unfeasible-talk of melting flight decks was one theory. Far better to wait for P1216 or something similar but thats 20 years later. Personally I would've liked to have seen supersonic Buccaneer for TSR2 and maybe even as future fleet interceptor. Maybe even VG Sea Lightning.......
 
I think the P1154-RAF was feasible enough, more feasible than a supersonic Buccaneer and VG naval Lightning which were only ever paper planes.
 
What is a plausible scenario where the program survives, is produced in decent numbers, and exported to overseas customers?

Also, how might this aircraft survive compared to other airframes of the era?
 
My guess would be for it to win outright the NBMR that led to the development in the first place, none of this equal first with the Mirage IIIV because the Mirage could be built in the factories of the participants crap.

This would mean that there would be no pressure to make a common aircraft for the RAF and RN because the original (& most plausible) spec will stand, and the other countries would take the place of the RN as providing the orders required for a long production run.
 
I think the P1154-RAF was feasible enough, more feasible than a supersonic Buccaneer and VG naval Lightning which were only ever paper planes.
Really? I would of thought the P.150 supersonic Buccaneer would of been easier since they would be working from an already existing aircraft and not having to incorporate advanced features such as vertical/short take-off and landing.
 
As others have already pointed out, you would need a number of political, military and technological resolutions in order to bring the P.1154 into service. The 1960’s was a busy time for the British military in terms of procurement. Given the UK’s financial situation at the time there was just too much spending going on. Other projects would have to go in order to make it into a reality. My personal preference is to scrap the TSR-2 and go for a joint service Buccaneer S.3 between the navy and the RAF, thus freeing up more cash. Abandon the joint RAF-FAA P.1154 and simply give the navy the Phantoms it wanted so badly.

As for technical problems, I think given how almost all other VTOL fighter have turned out, it’s a safe bet that the P.1154 would have had numerous teething problems. The main problems that seem to be raised are to do with the PCB (plenium chamber burning) that would have been hot enough to melt tarmac and would have ripped soft ground up, essentially making it useless in its intended role (rough field operations). The other issue with PCB was hot gas in gestation (where the engine sucks back in hot air expelled from exhausts). The latter is a serious problem. However, it may be possible to overcome both by simply abandoning the vertical take-off and soft field operations. Instead, short-takeoffs on roads and rolling landings might be possible. Vertical landings may be more of an issue but possible to overcome.

As for service, the P.1154 Harrier would remove the need to operate both the P.1127 Harrier and the Jaguar, possibly leading to higher production numbers. But costs will likely remain high. The USMC probably won’t buy it because:

A. They only got the Harrier in OTL because it was seen as cheap.
B. Technologically simple
C. Small enough to fit in reasonable numbers to their assault ships.

Russell
 
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